Hi-Q Egg Products

I’ve delayed, because I’ve wanted my response to be a complete story pitch. But I figured I’d email you today in case you have any suggestions, as I go about further developing this particular pitch.

The feature would focus on residents in Union County, Ohio who’ve been fighting Hi-Q Egg Products’ proposed installation of an additional CAFO (Confined or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation).

I would like this feature to give FSRN listeners a sense of how this particular fight is part of a global movement for a more just and sustainable food system. As I see it, part of my job as a reporter is to amplify what activists around the world are doing with various issues so that FSRN listeners increase their sense of how their own community involvement is part of a global movement. The term ‘movement building’ comes to mind.

By the way, what’s going on in Union County, Ohio involves a SLAPP suit and a SLAPP back suit.

I think we need on-site, in-person interviews with two or more Union County residents living near the existing CAFO and/or active in addressing CAFO-related problems. I got one confirmed interviewee so far

Evan Christian, a person living in Union County and involved with addressing CAFO-related issues, is the only person who’s committed to an in-person interview so far. Yesterday, he said he was fairly certain he’d find two more people to interview.

It also would involve some phone-recorded comments from people working at the national or international level. A couple of hours ago I requested a short phone interview with David Kirby, journalist and author of the recently published book Animal Factory. He hasn’t responded yet, but I will keep trying, especially as I read more of his work.

Someone from National Family Farm Coalition and someone from Family Farm Defenders seem willing to talk on the record. Likely, I can get people from those and other food sovereignty groups to comment. But I’d really like to get a sound bite or two from Kirby.

New Day, the owner of the CAFO already operating in Union County, is the company which filed the SLAPP suit against Union County resident, Pam Williams. Shawn Organ, one of the lawyers working on the ‘SLAPP- back’ suit, emailed me the court documents. But he has yet to respond to an email in which I requested an in-person, audio-recorded interview.

We can mention the SLAPP issues with or without Organ. It’s public record. But the feature likely would be more interesting if he were commenting.

Sorry, I don’t have an actual feature pitch just yet. But I figured it’d make sense to touch base with you, in case you’ve editorial suggestions. The reading, emailing, phoning, and preparatory writing I’m investing into this story pitch is part of a process that will have to run it’s course, despite my eagerness to get paid.